World Cup soccer coach's mom kidnapped at gunpoint

Ogere Siasia, 72, whose son Samson Siasia is head coach of Nigeria’s U-23 national soccer team, was abducted from her home in Bayesla after three gunmen stormed in on motorbikes, Ansinim Butswat, a state police spokesman, told Xinhua by telephone, the news agency reported.

Nigerian police said they are investigating the kidnapping, but said details are still sketchy, according to AllAfrica.com.

"What do they expect from me?"

- Samson Siasia, Nigeria's U-23 soccer team coach

Samson Siasia, who is currently coaching the team in Gambia, made an appeal to the perpetrators to free his mother.

"What do they expect from me? I don't have money, I am right now on national duty, and need all the time to concentrate on this very important national task. So, I beg them to please release my mother so that I can concentrate on this task of qualifying the U-23 National Team for the men's football event of the Rio Olympics," he said, AllAfrica.com reported.

Siasia said his mother was at home taking care of his father, who is visually impaired, when the gunmen stormed the home.

"This is quite disturbing. We are just preparing for a crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match, and the U-23 boys are already in The Gambia for a pre-Cup of Nations training camp. Why this?” said NFF President Amaju Pinnick, in the remarks.